Jersey City man who strangled wife, stuffed her body in 55-gallon drum gets 22 years

A Jersey City man who strangled his wife and stuffed her body in a 55-gallon drum in 2011 was sentenced to 22 years in prison.

Steven Acuna, 40, had a confrontation with Randy “Amanda” Lehrer, 32, on Aug. 13, 2011 and strangled her in their Jersey City Heights home, he admitted when he pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter on Oct. 10. The body of Lehrer, a popular waitress, was found more than a month later on Sept, 23.

Acuna was facing up to 25 years in prison as a result of the guilty plea. Hudson County Superior Court Judge Paul DePascale also ordered no early release for Acuna when he was sentenced on Friday.

Hudson County Assistant Prosecutor Sal Rozzi, who handled the case, said he asked for 25 years, while the defense asked for an 18-year sentence. Acuna, who already has two years time served, must serve 85 percent of the sentence before he’s eligible for parole.

When Lehrer was reported missing on Aug. 17, 2011, a local search ensued, with friends and family members posting her photo all over the Jersey City Heights neighborhood where she and her husband lived.

Authorities said that Acuna filled the 55-gallon drum with cement after he put Lehrer’s body inside. Investigators, who had Acuna pegged as a person of interest from the start, found the drum in the basement of the building where the Acunas lived.

Lehrer and Acuna had a daughter, who had just turned 1 when Acuna was arrested. She is 3 years old now and is in the custody of Lehrer’s family, Rozzi said.

Lehrer’s mother and sister attended the sentencing and were too emotional to read a statement they had prepared, so Rozzi read their statement into the record. The sentencing was also attended by Acuna’s father and sister, Rozzi said.

Acuna spoke briefly before he was sentenced and apologized to Lehrer’s family, Rozzi said.